Our Pastor introduces her. He tells us this woman is from Zambia and was orphaned by AIDS. Being the eldest, she was left to take care of her siblings. He opens the floor.
She steps up to the front of the stage. Hundreds of eyes staring at her. The pastor checks to make sure her head microphone is on. She appears relaxed, confident. Her passion for what she’s about to say instantly draws you to her. It’s as if you already know she’s going to deliver a speech in which after, your world will never be the same again. She has that aura about her. She begins by asking if we’re excited to be there. “Well I am now,” I thought. Speaking on Mothers day and all, she starts by briefly talking of her children and wishing all women a happy Mothers Day. Her accent is mesmerizing and it is evident she speaks with so much heart and so much truth. Then she gathers herself and begins.
“When you hear of 33 million people living with HIV and AIDS around the world, you hear of 25 million people who have already died of AIDS, when you hear of 15 million children that have been orphaned by HIV and AIDS, and 12 million of those being in Sub-Saharan Africa, I believe it becomes hopeless. It feels overwhelming. But I want to say that part of that number, of those who have died of AIDS, is my mother Joyce. Part of that number is my father Morford and part of that number is my baby sister who got infected before she was born, Linda. Part of that number is my brother Kelvin. These are the names of HIV and AIDS. AIDS is more than just statistics. AIDS has to do with people. And it is not just in Africa alone. It is growing. In Russia. It is very high in India. In China. In Eastern Europe. Right here in the U.S. every year, nearly 45,000 new infections happen every year and over 1 million people live with HIV. It’s not just because these numbers are overwhelming that we should be concerned. It’s because 1 person is part of that number…and that should break our hearts.”
She is right. That is why so many of us, despite knowing of this, and other major tragedies, sit and do nothing. It seems too big. It seems too overwhelming. There are millions of people affected. What can I do? But what she says is so true. All that matters is 1 PERSON is part of that number…and that alone should move us to act.
Her parents died because the drug needed to prolong their life cost $4 and they were living on less than $1. It doesn’t take much money to make a HUGE difference. There are some wonderful organizations doing amazing things. You don’t need to save the world, just save one person in it. Sponsor a child. Donate money. Donate time. Right now, there is one little boy, 7 years old, whose parents are dead. He is orphaned and alone. Save him! Do something! It doesn’t have to be about millions of people but just about that one little boy. That one little boy is reason enough to act.
The women who spoke is Princess Kasune Zulu. Princess is her name, not a title. We later learned that she, herself, is infected with HIV. The doctors told her that she had 6 months to live. 11 years later, by the grace of God, she is still able to tell her story and raise awareness of the disease and it’s effects on families and communities. Worldvision has given her the platform and she has given many talks all over the world.
*Update:
Here is a link to the whole service. Princess is the second women that speaks.
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